How to Make the Most of a One-on-One Meeting

In a world of remote workspaces, it has become ever more important to connect with our co-workers and employees deliberately. While everyone is trying to clear their calendars, scheduling a weekly one-on-one meeting with all direct reports remains essential. Direct reports can feel hurried and disorganized during one-on-one sessions. So, it is important to ensure regular contact with each employee and not think of it as a chore. In this article at Forbes, Heidi Lynne Kurter speaks about four ways to improve one-on-one meetings.

Benefits of a One-on-One Meeting

You must use this time to connect and understand your employee better instead of making it sound very transactional. Furthermore, as a manager, you can reap a lot of benefits from the consistent one-on-one meetings:

Gives employees a forum and a safe space to talk about mistakes and challengesContributes to the growth of employees in their roles and their careersEnhances the way managers lead their teamProvides a space for managers to acknowledge the achievements of their employeesPromotes loyalty, productivity, and happiness among employees by strengthening their relationship with their managerOptimizes collaboration and support within the team

4 Ways to Reap the Most Out of One-on-One Meetings

Understand What Motivates That Employee

Motivation can mean different things to different people. While some may be motivated by higher pay, others may be interested in exploring different roles or skillsets. So, find what motivates them and provide them with the guidance to achieve their goal. Celebrating milestones and recognizing employee efforts will make them feel valued. Having a casual discussion about employees’ personal interests and life will help you understand and connect with them.

Provide Constructive Feedback

Managers must use one-on-one meetings to provide constructive feedback and share wins. Additionally, remember to coach and mentor your team to tackle those challenges as you provide feedback. Confronting employees with mistakes and no wins will make them withdraw and become defensive. Posing an open-ended question and providing an opportunity for employees to present their side will help you better handle and understand challenging situations.

Kurter presents more ways to make a one-on-one meeting more effective. You must chalk a plan and draft action items, be there for your team, and genuinely care.  

To read the original article, click on https://www.forbes.com/sites/heidilynnekurter/2021/05/29/managers-here-are-4-ways-you-can-create-better-one-on-ones-with-your-employees/?sh=4aa19aab3be7

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